Volume 13, Number 1, 2004
A stronger partnership with Delaware State University, supported by a new national grant to enhance diversity, is one hallmark of Janice Seitz's first year on the job as director of UD Cooperative Extension.
Seitz, who also is associate dean for extension and outreach for the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, calls her move from Illinois to Delaware in May 2003 "the opportunity of a lifetime."
The challenging job was too good to pass up, she says, even though she was content in her previous role as assistant dean and director of Extension 4-H Youth Development at the University of Illinois. In nearly six years leading Illinois 4-H, Seitz had enjoyed many successes, including an increase in volunteers from 209,000 to more than 412,000.
A self-described workaholic who thrives on long hours, Seitz says she was determined to make a difference quickly in her new position and to educate the public about the many services the program provides.
"Delaware Extension impacts the entire life span, from newsletters for parents of newborns to nutrition programs geared to senior citizens," she says. "I see my job as shining the light on these terrific programs and the people who work so hard to carry them out."
In Delaware, the Cooperative Extension Service is housed at both UD and Delaware State University (DSU). Early on, Seitz says, she saw a need to strengthen the partnership between the two institutions. Working with Dyremple Marsh, DSU Extension director, she obtained a grant that names Delaware as a "Change Agent State for Diversity." The state was one of seven nationwide to receive this designation.
The grant, which supports greater cultural diversity in U.S. land-grant universities, was announced in May. It will pair UD and DSU with one of seven "mentor states" to begin examining best practices for diversity management.
Another initiative begun this year is the Delaware Extension Competitive Grant Program. This interdisciplinary program allows UD and DSU Extension professionals, working in collaboration with faculty members, to apply for start-up funds to explore emerging issues in their fields.
Seitz also has created a summer internship program, funded jointly by Extension and the College, to allow students to tap into Extension expertise. The Extension Scholars Program was launched in May with the selection of five undergraduates to work with Extension professionals on projects related to their career interests.
"The scholars were drawn from a range of majors, including environmental science, agriculture education, animal science and dietetics," Seitz says. "Although their projects vary, all the scholars will benefit from experiencing the service-learning model that is the cornerstone of Extension."
When Seitz arrived in Delaware, she says, her first order of business was getting to know the needs of UD Extension. She says she wanted to find out more about programming in such diverse areas as agriculture, food safety and nutrition, home gardening, financial planning and youth and family development. As part of her fact-finding, she began traveling on an almost daily basis to Extension events around the state.
"It's not unusual for me to start the day with meetings in Sussex County, give a speech at a luncheon in Kent County and conclude with afternoon appointments in New Castle County," Seitz says. "I've put 12,000 miles on my car in the last year but gained tremendous knowledge about Delaware Extension."
Robin Morgan, dean of the College, says she is inspired by Seitz's "boundless energy and her commitment to diversity and service."
Seitz says she has no regrets about leaving the comfort of her position in Illinois and forging a new path 700 miles away at UD. "I view my position here as the capstone of my career," she says. "I love Delaware. I'm having the time of my life."
--Margo McDonough, AS '86, '95M